1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a display panel and a system and method for correcting defects (e.g., stains) on the display panel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, one of the most widely used types of image displays is flat panel displays such as liquid displays (LCDs), plasma display panels (PDPs), and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays.
An image display includes a display panel that displays an image. All manufactured display panels go through an inspection process for detecting display defects (e.g., stains). Once a display defect is detected during the inspection process, a display panel having the display defect may go through a repair process. However, there are display defects (e.g., stains) that cannot be corrected by the repair process. Such display defects (e.g., stains) primarily result from overlapping exposures during multiple exposures of exposure equipment used in the process of forming thin-film patterns and a difference in exposure due to aberrations of multi-lenses. The difference in exposure changes the width of thin-film patterns, which, in turn, leads to a difference in parasitic capacitance of thin-film transistors, a difference in height of column spacers that maintain a cell gap, a difference in parasitic capacitance between signal lines, etc. These differences cause a difference in luminance, thus creating shaped defects (e.g., stains) in the form of vertical or horizontal lines. In addition, as the gap between a liquid crystal panel and a backlight unit is reduced to produce a slimmer display, a light diffusion path is reduced, thus creating shaped defects (e.g., stains) in the form of horizontal lines corresponding to the locations of a plurality of lamps. Defects (e.g., stains) may include not only the shaped defects (e.g., stains) but also irregular shapeless defects (e.g., stains) formed by a process defect such as the introduction of foreign matter or pinholes.